Happy 57th Anniversary To The Twilight Zone!

On this day fifty-seven years, The Twilight Zone was began it’s five season run on CBS. The brainchild of celebrated screenwriter Rod Serling – The Twilight Zone continues to be revealant today as when it first aired.

Why is The Twilight Zone still popular?

I think the reason why the classic television series still resonates is pretty simple. The writing focused on everyday people – for the most part. The series did its best to show the very best of humanity and it’s worst, wrapped in the trappings of science fiction and horror.

I will of course be the first person to admit I am rather biased when it comes to The Twilight Zone. I truly believe it is one of the best television series ever made. While the show like any other long running series has more than a few duds – the good episodes outweigh the bad. With many, many of those offerings leaving viewers stunned as the credits rolled.

The series had an embarrassment of riches in all categories. I ask you to take a moment and look at a few of the actors that appeared in the series like Burgess Meredith, Jack Klugman, John Dehner, Bill Mumy, Marjorie Bennett, Anne Francis, Fritz Weaver, and Robert Redford.

While I feel I should point that Rod Serling wrote two-thirds of the episodes for the original series, he also had powerhouses like Charles Beaumont, George Clayton Johnson, Reginald Rose, Richard Matheson, Jerry Sohl, and Ray Bradbury.

What are your Top Ten episodes?

I am so very glad you asked me that because I just happen to have a handy list within reach. I will also say that these change on an almost weekly basis. So in no particular order:

So why not take some time out of your busy schedule and celebrate the 57th Anniversary of the show? I would recommend if you live close enough to head out and visit The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror before it is removed from the Disney parks. If like me though you aren’t within driving distance to enjoy that thrill ride why not watch an episode of the series?

Ahem.

Submitted for your viewing pleasure. The Old Man in the Cave. Starring James Coburn, John Anderson, Josie Lloyd, John Craven, and John Marley. A brief visit to a nightmarish future for mankind and a prime example of our own fallacies. A moral lesson well taught – courtesy of the Twilight Zone.

Searching through the alleys for useful knowledge in the city of Nostalgia. Huge cinema fanatic and sometimes carrier of the flame for the weirding ways of 80s gaming, toys, and television. When his wife lets him he is quite happy sitting in the corner eating buckets of beef jerky.